This invention relates to the field of haptic human-computer interfaces, specifically to the incorporation of haptic experience with visual information.
Haptic interface experiences are conventionally created using one of two basic methods. In some cases, a graphic or visual interface experience is created from three-dimensional models of objects. A haptic companion to the visual display can be created from the same three-dimensional models. This method produces a haptic interface experience that directly corresponds with the visual display (since it was created from the same models). However, creating three-dimensional models that approach the quality of real world visuals can be prohibitively expensive and time consuming. Also, models that approach real world detail can be too complex to render (either visually or haptically) in real time, making it difficult to provide an effective haptics experience.
In other cases, a visual interface experience is created first, for example by two-dimensional photographs or movies of real objects. A haptic companion to the visual display is then added. This method can provide very realistic visual displays, and current technology can accommodate real time display of such realistic images. Creating the haptic experience from the initial visual images, however, can be quite difficult. Creating it manually is analogous to creating a sculpture from a single two-dimensional photograph. The task is possible, but requires significant time and skill to produce a believable haptic experience. Current research into automatic production of three-dimensional models from two-dimensional images offers hope, but the current state of the art is not capable of generating believable haptic representations from most two-dimensional images.
The addition of a haptic interface component can increase the realism and efficiency of a user's experience with a visual display. Also, many two-dimensional images and image sequences exist (e.g., photographs, digital images, movies); haptic companions to the existing images could enhance the user experience. Accordingly, there is a need for a method of generating haptic interface experiences that is capable of generating haptic companions to existing two-dimensional images.